What to Cook When It's Too Hot to Cook: Tuna Seviche

When the weather gets warm, nothing quite beats a cool and refreshing seviche (also known at ceviche). In this recipe, cubed fresh sushi-grade tuna is tossed with lime zest and juice to gently “cook” a portion of the fish (the beauty of tuna – especially sushi-grade – is that it is so good eaten raw). Finely chopped jalapenos give the mixture a kick, while cubed avocado offers a creaminess that cools the heat of the pepper.

For a dinner party, serve the seviche in a martini glass for a decorative look. At cocktails, fry up wonton or plaintain cups and add a tablespoon of seviche on top. Dining a deux? Seviche atop a bed of greens, coupled with a warm flatbread or toasted crostini, is a light and healthy meal that is great for those nights when it’s too hot to cook. That's my favorite preparation. What's yours?

1/4 pound sushi-grade tuna, cut into 1/4 inch chunks

Zest and juice of 2 limes

2 small jalapenos, finely chopped

2 avocadoes, cut into 1/4-inch chunks

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

Salt, to taste

2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted

Toss together tuna and limes. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes. Add jalapenos, avocadoes, and cilantro and season to taste. Add sesame seeds, stir. Serve.

Serves 4 as an entrée, 8-10 as an appetizer.

Total time: 20 minutes